Major changes are coming to the UEFA Champions League from the 2024/25 season, ending the long-standing four-team group stage. This will be the competition’s most dramatic format change in 32 years. Real Madrid, 15-time European champions, won the last edition of the current format in June by defeating Borussia Dortmund.
The new UCL format includes a new league phase, changes in slots for participating countries, and an increased number of games. Read on to learn more about the upcoming transformations in Europe’s premier football competition. You can click here to learn about the best betting sites for the new UEFA Champions League season.
How Many Teams Will Participate in the New Format?
The new UEFA Champions League format will feature 36 teams in the league phase, adding four more clubs each season compared to the previous format. Serie A and the Bundesliga benefit the most, now having five automatic qualification spots each, one more than the Premier League and La Liga.
This change is due to strong performances by Italian and German clubs in UEFA competitions, boosting their coefficient points. Germany and Italy get five slots, while Spain and England have four. France has three, with the Netherlands and Portugal receiving two each. The champions of Belgium, Scotland, Austria, and Ukraine each get a slot, with the remaining spots decided through qualifying rounds.
Real Madrid’s automatic qualification for winning the Champions League passes to the next best domestic champion, Shakhtar Donetsk, as Real Madrid also qualified by winning La Liga. Similarly, Atalanta’s Europa League victory spot goes to Benfica as Atalanta qualified through Serie A.
The League Phase
The new Champions League format will replace the traditional eight groups with a single table of 36 teams. A computer-generated draw will replace the old manual draw, determining eight fixtures for each team.
The teams will be seeded and split into four pots, each facing two opponents from each pot. There will be one home and one away game, ensuring an even distribution of difficulty. The league phase will run from September to January, slightly extending the current group stage timeline. The first game week will exclusively feature Champions League matches, including Thursday games. Tuesday and Wednesday matches will also continue as they have in previous seasons.
All fixtures in the final game week will kick off simultaneously. The new format increases Champions League games from 125 to 189, with each team playing eight league-phase matches, adding 48 games. The remaining 16 come from a playoff to reach the round of 16.
The Knockout Phase
In the revamped Champions League format, the top eight teams from the league phase automatically advance to the round of 16. Teams finishing 9th to 24th enter a two-legged playoff to qualify for the knockout stages. These playoffs will be seeded, with teams placed 9th-16th hosting the second leg against those in 17th-24th.
The round of 16 will follow the same seeding principle, with automatic qualifiers playing the second leg at home. After the playoffs, the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final will maintain the traditional two-legged knockout format. Unlike the previous group stage, where top seeds couldn’t face each other early, the new format will introduce more high-stakes clashes from the outset.
This change promises a more thrilling and competitive tournament right from the beginning. It ensures top teams encounter formidable opponents earlier in the competition, enhancing the overall excitement for fans.
Conclusion
Finally, the revamped Champions League format promises a more exciting and inclusive experience for fans and clubs alike. The new model offers increased exposure and a longer path to glory, and the competition promises to be fiercer than ever.
Whether the changes translate to a more unpredictable outcome or continued dominance by a select few remains to be seen. The 2024/25 season will be a fascinating one to watch as the new format unfolds.
